your life?"

"Why, I've got to wait till next fall before I go to Briarwood Hall.
That's a rhyme, Ruthie; it's been singing itself over and over in my
mind for days. I'm really going to boarding school in the autumn. It's
decided. Tom is going to the military academy on the other side of
Osago Lake. He'll be within ten miles of Briarwood."

Ruth's face had lost its brightness as Helen said this. The word
"school" had brought again to the girl's mind her own unfortunate
position and Uncle Jabez's unkindness.

"I hope you will have a delightful time at Briarwood," Ruth said,
softly. "I expect I shall miss you dreadfully."

"Oh, suppose the Ogre should send you to school there, too!" cried
Helen, with clasped hands. "Wouldn't that be splendid!"

"That would be beyond all imagination," said Ruth, shaking her head.
"I-- I don't know that I shall be able to attend the balance of the
term here."

"Why not?" demanded Helen. "Won't he let you?"

"He has said I could." Ruth could say no more just then. She hid her
face from her friend, but made believe that it was the butter that
occupied her attention. The dasher began to slap, slap, slap
suggestively in the churn and little particles of beaten cream began
to gather on the handle of the dasher.